Reed sees out Sunderland career with York

SUNDERLAND midfielder Adam Reed has joined League Two strugglers York City until the end of the season.

Academy product Reed is one of five members of Sunderland’s Under-21 squad to have been told he is free to leave Wearside when his contract expires in the summer.

And the 21-year-old, who only returned from a stint at Portsmouth last month, has been given another opportunity to impress in the Football League after penning a five-week loan deal with the Minstermen.

Newly-appointed York boss Nigel Worthington has been keen to add fresh faces before tomorrow’s loan deadline, with the club second bottom of League Two after a galling 15-game winless streak.

And Reed fits the bill after making 10 appearances for League One Pompey at the start of 2013.

Worthington said: “He is very good on the ball, has good energy and can put his foot in.

“He’s got decent league experience and the reports I have had tell me he did exceptionally well for Portsmouth.

“Their manager has told me he did a fantastic job for them so hopefully he can come in and do the same for us. He just wants to play football and has an enthusiasm for the game.”

York will be the fifth Football League club Reed has represented after previously enjoying loan spells at Brentford, Bradford and Leyton Orient.

But he has never made a competitive appearance for Sunderland’s first-team and with Premier League rules dictating that he would have to be registered in the first-team squad next season, the Black Cats have opted to release the club’s Under-21s skipper.

There will be interest in Reed at the end of the season, with his hometown club Hartlepool United among those thought to be keeping tabs on him.

But a brief stint at York will at least give Reed a platform to earn a deal away from the Stadium of Light, with the Minstermen travelling to Bristol Rovers on Saturday before hosting Plymouth on Easter Monday.

Meanwhile, Sunderland defender John Egan has penned a new one-year contract with the Black Cats.

Egan’s deal on Wearside was due to expire at the end of the season, but he is one of 12 members of Kevin Ball’s U21 squad to have been given the chance to stay at Sunderland.

And the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, who suffered a double broken leg during a loan spell with League Two Bradford in November, has now finalised the extension to his stay.